Environmental infrastructure transforms the surrounding physical and culturallandscapes. In Canada, it has long been an integral part of settler colonialism. It severs Indigenous ties to the land and furthers colonial goals. This thesis examines the complex history of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when it drastically changed the region. Research using oral history, newspapers, and legal documents corrects a narrative that positions the TSW as a common good. The TSW is alleged to have served the people, but who benefitted? The experiences of riparian residents varied as Anishinaabe First Nations endured a multilayered form of violence, distinct from their settler counterparts. What was often a nuisance for settlers could be life-altering for Anishinaabeg. However, amidst these changes, residents demonstrated resilience. Communities actively shifted the TSW to tourism as they adapted to a transformed landscape.
Author Keywords: Canada, Colonial, Environment, Indigenous, Ontario, Waterway